Midnight Petal
by Terketam
Summary: She is a young girl. She is a weapon Dumledore wants to use in his fight against Voldemort. She will soon become Snape s wife.
1. Midnight Petal

Chapter One

Severus Snape was walking down the corridor, his trademark black robes billowing behind him. Just a few weeks earlier he overheard a group of third years discussing, if he enchanted his robes to always billow. He smirked for himself. Idiots. As if he needed to scare those prats by doing something so stupid. As if his looks and his reputation were not enough to get most of them hiding in the corner at the mere sight of him.

Oh yes, he knew precisely what kind of emotion he inspired in all students and most of the Hogwarts stuff. There were few who didn´t fear him and even fewer who didn´t hate him. But it was all right with him, to emite this aura of fear and hatred. He reciprocated. He hated them all in return. And most of all he hated himself.

He was a man with a single purpose: to avenge the death of the only love of his life. He contributed to that death and this knowledge has given him the strenght to overcome any obstacle, any difficulty in his path to achieving his goal. He cared about nothing else. He loathed his students, so young and naive and dumb (at least most of them were like that). He didn´t care about his colleagues. He knew they didn´t trust him and that feeling was mutual. He could trust nobody but himself. So he studied hard and became one of the most powerfull wizards of his time. Which gave him the feeling of superiority and although he didn´t boast about his powers he made the students feel futile. He lived a secluded life focusing fully on his task, which was to improve his abilities to a degree, which would enable him to face and defeat his nemesis, dark lord Voldemort, once the opportunity arises. And that moment was aproaching fast.

This summer Harry Potter faced Voldemort and reported on his return to full power during a Triwizard Tournament. Severus´s face tightened at the memory of Lilly´s boy coming out of that maze with dead body of Cedric Diggory. He hated that boy, he reminded him so much of James. But at the same time Harry was Lily´s son and Severus felt the strange urge to look after him, because he was sure Lilly would have wanted him to do it. His sweet Lilly, who always cared about every living creature, who saw goodness in everyone, even in Severus. His inclination to dark arts broke her heart and consequentionally was the reason for the damage of their friendship. Severus, in his arrogance, refused to acknowledge his mistakes and ill judgement, thus robbing himself of a chance of happiness forever. And now she was dead and he was still here, spitefull, cruel and most of all empty and lonely. But he wouldn´t admit this even to himself.

There was one person, who saw through his mask and believed, that somewhere behind it a better and kinder Severus Snape hides. This person was Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, the arch enemy of Lord Voldemort and since this summer the head of reinstalled Order of the Phoenix, secret association fighting Voldemort and his followers. Association of which Severus was a member, for which he spied. It was a risky position, often „rewarded" by pain and blood, but Severus´s hunger for vengeance was far greater than fear of pain or death. He was perfect for this job, he knew. His skill in occlumency a legillimency allowed him to return to Dark Lord this summer and pretend he was still a dedicated follower. His mastery of potion brewing enabled him to rise to one of the highest ranks amongst Death Eaters. And his dedication to his personal task of avenging Lilly let him withstand the pain of many crutiatus curses, that Dark Lord considered appropriate punishment for even the smallest mistakes.

Now, few days before the start of the term, Severus was back in school, tidying his ingredience cabinet. He expected Voldemort to call him back any time soon, but to his surprise he was summoned to headmaster´s office instead. He couldn´t imagine what would Dumbledore want from him as he already reported to him this morning, but he was in no position to refuse their meeting. So he climbed the spiral staircase, knocked on headmasters door and waited for an invitation. It came seconds later. As he entered he found Dumbledore standing at the window, looking slightly agitated. „Thanks for coming Severus," he spoke softly, narrowing his half-moon spectacles, „I hate to disturb you from your duties, but this is a matter of uttermost importance. A matter which needs to be solved fairly quickly and privately. Please, take a seat." The look on Dumledore face confused Severus. There was no usuall confidence nor any hint of buoyancy, so typical for him. Only concern and even a small hint of fear. Whatever Dumbledore was about to tell him, wasn´t a good news. Of that Severus was sure. He took a seat and looked expectantly at the older man.

„I think we can agree," Dumbledore started, „that for the last thirteen years the whole wizarding community believed, that the darkest wizard of our time was defeated. But alas, here we are, facing Voldemort again, and this time he is searching for a weapon he can defeat us with." „Yes, I think we have already agreed, that he will probably search for the prophecy and try to use it in his advantage," Snape retorted, his eyebrow raised. They have talked about this possibility with other order members just yesterday. Why did headmaster want to bring this up again? „Yes, Severus, I am well aware we have discussed this matter extensively," Dumbledore moved behind his desk and tapped on it with his fingers. „I don´t intend to test your patience by talking about it again. I called you here today to share a certain piece of information with you. Information, that must not leave these walls." Dumbledore´s piercing blue eyes locked with Snape´s dark orbs, questioning him silently. Snape held the gaze for a few seconds. Then, without averting his eyes, he nodded once.

„Now, Severus, you must understand, that although our priority in upcoming months should be protecting the prophecy and guiding Harry in his task of defeating Voldemort once and for good, there are other issues we should take into consideration. There are countless weapons we can use in this battle, that could help us achieve the ultimate goal. And even greater number of them, which would mark our downfall if used. The question is, how do we sort out and choose the appropriate... „Please, Albus," Snape interrupted old man´s monologue,"spare me your lesson of Machiavellian theories of war and get to the point. I have no time to waste. Voldemort can summon me any minute now." Dumledore looked quite unmoved by this statement. He simply moved his specs up his nose and continued. „I have no desire to put you in any danger, Severus. If you, at any time, feel the urge to leave my company I encourage you to do so without hesitation. All I´m asking now is your patience so I can describe our situation as accurately as possible. I hope you will then understand the sentiments that led me to the decision, which will, without doubt, change our lives." Dumbledore paused at this, as if reconsidering his options again, then he turned slowly, so that Snape couldn´t see his face.

„As I was searching the archives, I came across a rather curious prophecy..." Severus moaned loudly at this moment, effectively stopping Dumbledore´s speech. „Oh, don´t tell me that old hag Trelawney produced another one of those miraculous revelations and you actually believe her to such an extent, you are acting on it!" „Dear Severus," Dumbledore interrupted Snape´s jeremiad, „I am painfully aware you are not on the best terms with Sybill, although I fail to see any wrong-doing on her side, that would justify this hatred. I can assure you though, Sybill si in no way involved in a prophecy I mentioned. The authorship belongs to a nineteen-century oracle Pilosella McDawlish. Are you acquainted with her work?" Snape shook his head, sinking lower in his chair. He was sure he´s never heard the name before. „Not many people are," Dumbledore continued, „which is a shame, as her visions are in most cases very accurate. She predicted the rise of a powerfull dark wizard in this century and also mentioned a certain 'boy who survived' several times. Unfortunately, she was later proclaimed a lunatic and forced into hiding. Many of her predictions were lost. Few weeks ago I came across a rather bizzare book, which contained one of McDawlish long-forgotten prophecies. Somebody recently donated that book to our school library." „Who?" Snape inquired, once again interrupting headmaster´s monologue. „That is not the question you should be asking," Dumbledore sighed, turning his head in Snape´s direction. Severus knew better than to press the matter right now. „Ok, what does the prophecy say?"

Dumbledore shook his head slowly and then recited, his words echoing around the room:  
„The greatest things you can expect  
when the midnight petal blooms.  
Unknown weapons will be forged  
that will mark the dark one´s doom."  
Snape restraind himself from snorting out loud. „Well, we can´t call her the greatest poet of all times, that´s for sure. I honestly cannot see why you think this peace of … work is important to our cause. Sure it mentions Dark lord and indicates there is an unknown way to defeat or at least weaken him, but how on earth are we supposed to know what that 'midnight petal' is? „Who," Dumbledore stated, his expresion remaining neutral. „I beg your pardon?" Snape felt positively taken aback by Albus´s comment. So much in fact, it took him several moments before the information sank in. „ You mean this... this prophecy speaks about... a person? But how do you know that? And even if it was a truth, how are we supposed to find him?"

Albus smiled inwardly at the younger man´s confusion. „Luckily for us, McDawlish had a few dedicated followers, who not only managed to preserve some of her writings, but affiliated some extra notes to them, explaining the meaning of the poems to uninitiated minds. Thanks to McDawlish students we know exactly who the 'midnight petal' is. And we can count ourselves twice lucky as she is presently a student of our school.

„She?" Severus´s curiousity was quickly picking up. „The prophecy speaks about a girl? Our student? Do I know her?" „Yes on all three counts," Dumbledore replied, poorly hidden amusement leaking from his voice. „Her name is Iris McDawlish. She is a descendant of the previously mentioned prophet. You have been meating her in potions class for the last six years."

Snape was bewildered by this statement. He was trying hard to recall the face of this Iris McDawlish. Or her voice. Or grades. Anything. But his mind reminded clouded. Was it possible he didn´t remember his own student? „Dear Severus," Dumbledore´s voice cut through the silence, „do not let yourself be concerned about what you might consider a lapse of memory. All gaps will be filled in a due time. For now let us concentrate on more pressing question of the girl´s safety. As I have already informed you, we gained all this knowledge thanks to the outside source. As much as I want to believe this source is trustworthy and won´t reveal the information to anybody else, i can´t count on it. I fear miss McDawlish is in grave danger. Our duty is to ensure no harm will be inflicted upon her. She needs to hide, to disappear. And that is the reason why I called you here today, Severus. I have a great favor to ask of you."

Snape thought he finally knew where this conversation was heading. He nodded his head once. „You wish to use me as a Secret-Keeper ." Dumbledore just stood there quietly for a few moments, towering over Snape, unreadable expression on his face. When he finally spoke, his voice shook slightly. „No, I wish you to marry the girl."


	2. Why me?

Chapter 2

Dumbledore´s statement shocked Severus so much, he remained speechless for almost a minute. He could feel his body tensing, sweat breaking on his forehead. He reached for his wand, gripping it tightly. His eyes never left Dumbledore. The old man was just standing there, unmoving, watching Severus with concern. Snape´s brain was on overdrive, trying to grasp a hidden meaning of this situation.

"You must be joking," he finally snarled, threat clearly detectable in his voice. Dumbledore raised his hands in apologetic manner. "Indeed I am not, as we are both aware. Severus, please, let us discuss this matter in a friendly atmosphere. I can imagine you must be feeling resentfull, anoyed perhaps, but I am hoping you will understand the reasons why I am asking you to do this, only if you give me a chance to explain."  
"I sincerely doubt you can give me a sensible explanation," Severus barked, still clutching his wand, but he let himself relax a little, confident there must be a way around this. Dumbledore probably just wanted to shock him into action, so his brain cells would get a kick out of it and produce some ingenious solution to their problem. Well, it wasn´t working. His mind remained positively blank except for the images of him murdering Dumbledore in about fifty different ways.

"What have I done to deserve this foul treatment, Albus?" he asked in a whisper. "Why do you want to punish me?" Dumbledore shook his head. "Dear Severus, I don´t have a slightest intention to punish you for anything. I held you in high regard. It is an honor to work with you, an honor to call myself your friend.

"There must be a reason why you chose ME as a scapegoat!" Snape hissed, untached by Dumbledore´s flattery. "Let us not use such a pejorative vocabulary," Dumbledore retorted. "If you want to know the motives, which led me to the conclusion you will be the perfect adept for this task, I will not hesitate to share them with you."

"First of all, you are a very skilled wizard. If we want to discover what secret talents miss McDawlish possesses, I cannot imagine a better suited 'seeker' than you are. Secondly, the life you lead forced you into isolation. Your dungeon home is a perfect hiding place. It is well guarded, shielded from the outside world and big enough for two people. You and your wife will have a complete privacy there, you will be free to experiment while trying to develop her abilities. Last but not least, there is no question Voldemort will try, and I mean try very hard, to find miss McDawlish once he learns about the prophecy. From all the possible candidates I contemplated for this job, I trust you the most. I am confident you will not betray our secret as you have proved yourself trustworthy on more than one occasion."

"Thanks for trying to boost my ego," Severus said sarcasm dripping from his voice, "but as much as I pride myself on beeing a capable wizard and competent spy, I cannot see myself as a prospective partner. I´m rather sure any young girl would rather let me perform an Avada Kedavra spell on her than let me marry her. Maybe I could become her guardian? If she is still underaged..." "She isn´t", Dumbledore interrupted, "she turned seventeen this spring. And while the idea of guardianship is interesting, marriage will solve more than one problem. It will give the girl a new identity, you can live together without arousing too much controversy and if anything unfortunate ever happens to you, she will inherit all your belongings, thus preventing them from falling into inadequate hands.

Severus swore under his breath. There he was, his sweet old Dumbledore, scheming, playing his games again, using people as puppets in a pursuit of 'greater good'. To hell with him. "Why should I comply to take a part in your latest game?" he demanded. "You want me to sacrifice my freedom, my privacy, my dignity even! Where is the reward in it for me?" "There is none," Dumbledore responded, "apart from the fact, that you will gain an interesting companion and, if the prophecy is right, a powerfull ally in your crusade to avenge Lilly´s death."

Severus winced at the mention of Lilly´s name. Dumbledore was the only person in this school, who knew about Snape´s affection for Harry Potter´s late mother, and between them an unspoken agreement established, that neither of them will ever talk about her again. Dumbledore watched Snape clench and unclench his jaw muscles. He was prepared to plead miss McDawlish´s case for hours or days if required, but judging from Severus´s attitude, it wouldn´t take that long to win him over.

Snape flashed his black eyes at Dumbledore before he finally spoke. "She will not want me. I´m sure of it. You can´t honestly expect a 17 years old girl to jump at a chance of marrying much older man without love. Not to mention my dark past and recent involvement in a fight against the greatest evil of our times. That is, if she knows about it." "Yes indeed," Dumbledore smiled, "if your bad-teacher persona doesn´t scare her your spy activities might. Luckily for you, Severus, I have already consecrated miss McDawlish into our predicament. She agreed to help us.""You mean she agreed to marry me?" Snape breathed out disbelievingly. "What I meant was she is ready to help us fight against Voldemort. I did not dare to request her consent with the marriage without knowing if you are willing to accept her hand. Now, Severus, miss McDawlish is waiting outside my office. She remains oblivious as to the reason why I summoned her here. Should I call her in and pop the question on your behalf?"

Severus suppressed a sneer. Dumbledore appeared more and more cheerful every second. Why was the old man so sure the girl would agree with such a ridiculous arrangement he didn´t know. He willed himself not to think about the emotional outburst they were likely to witness in a few minutes time. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Then he nodded curtly in headmaster´s direction and whispered: "Do it."


	3. The Wedding

Chapter 3

"What am I doing?" Severus asked himself for what seemed like a millionth time this afternoon. "Ruining my life," was the honest answer. "And I´m dragging her down with me." Snape looked at the girl beside him again. For the last six years she was his student, but when she entered Dumbledore´s office few hours earlier, no wave of recognition hit him. It startled Severus immensely. How can you meet somebody on regular basis for six years and not remember them?

OK, she was plain, mediocre in every possible way. She was of medium height, nor thin nor fat. Her thick dull brown hair, that reached just below her shoulder blades, framed a forgettable face. She had small full lips, straight nose and heavy-lidded eyes, that seemed to be of a very light colour, probably blue. There was nothing in her visage that attracted attention. But did this lack of beauty or originality justify the fact, that Severus forgot her completely? Hardly.

Snape felt anger rising in him again. He let Dumbledore explain the situation to the girl while he busied himself with watching her, scrutinising her reactions. She listened to Albus attentively, nodding now and then, her eyes never leaving the floor. She looked very calm and collected. Severus was sure that would change the second Dumbledore mentioned the wedding. He was trying to prepare himself for every possible outcome. Will she scream and run? Panick? Faint? Threat them? Will she be foolish enough to try to attack them?

He was so immersed in his thoughts he nearly jumped in his seat when she finally spoke. "Yes," she said in a low melodic voice, "it will be an honour to become your ally and professor Snape´s wife. I swear I´ll do everything in my power to help you overthrow the dark wizard and bring peace to this country." Silence broke out in the room after this statement. Snape was trying to process the second biggest surprise of his life. As the ´number one´ preceded this one by approximately an hour, it wasn´t an easy task. When he finaly managed to gather his thoughts he forced himself to stay seated, mask of indifference on his face.

"Will you let us seal your fate that easily?" he asked the girl, his voice cold and venomous. "Aren´t you gonna protest? Fight us? Reason with us? Beg us not to force you to do this? Aren´t you gonna do anything? Nothing at all?" He watched her shake her head, bewildered. How was it possible, that she stayed that calm? He should be impressed. He detested the people, who displayed their emotions freely, after all. Such people were weak and vulnerable. But somehow this girl, with her cold unreadable facade, enraged him to the point, when he felt the urge to shout at her, to shake her, to do anything, that would provoke a response more adequate to this situation.

"Professor Snape," the girl spoke quietly, "I don´t see the reason why I should oppose this marriage. It is in my best interest to conform to professor Dumbledore´s wishes. My life is in danger. I´m really sorry if I crossed any of your plans, but I promise you I will stay out of your private life as much as possible."

Severus felt like somebody performed a confundus charm on him. Everything was upside down, reversed, twisted. Was this little girl really patronising him? He looked at Albus, daring him to laugh at his expense, but Dumbledore´s face wore the same dumbstruck expression he was sure his face sported at the moment. "Excellent, excellent," headmaster seemed to snap out of his confusion, "while we all agreed on the plan, let´s proceed to its fullfillement. I allowed myself the courtesy to book a wedding official. He should be arriving in about... 15 minutes time. Miss McDawlish, please feel free to make any last minute preparations you consider neccessary. Severus, same applies to you. Let us not waste any more time by this chit-chat. I will see you soon." With that he waved his hand dismissively, preventing any discussion.

Half an hour later Severus was standing beside his soon-to-be wife, dressed in clean black robes. "We are like sheep," he thought angrily, "doing everything that old fool pleases." He glanced at Dumbledore, who was standing by his side, looking very serious. But his eyes gave him away, mischievous sparks dancing in them. Snape felt the sudden urge to do something unexpected. Maybe he should just say no and leave them all here, starring. He let himslef toy with the idea for a few seconds, imagining the consequences.

He almost failed to notice the directive to turn face to face with his bride and say the wedding vows. As he slid the golden ring down her finger, he had an opportunity to look into her eyes closely for the first time. He thought they were blue before, but he could see now they were actually colourless, nearly transparent. He had never seen eyes like this before. They were almost scary, evoking the idea, that their bearer can see right into your mind and read you like a book. Such an idea was laughable, of course, but Snape couldn´t bring himself to break off the eye contact with the girl nevertheless. It was she, who did it. Hastily, as if she has just realized her mistake, she averted her gaze, focusing on her new ring instead.

The ceremony was over soon, to Severus´s great relief. Dumbledore escorted them to the dungeons afterwards, trying to distract them with a small talk, but soon gave up and bid his farewel. "I´ll show you around," Severus offered to his new wife. "That will be nice, I´ve never been inside your quarters before," she replied matter-of-factly. He had to wonder again, what was the source of her serenity. She showed no emotions whatsoever, when he familiarised her with her new living space. The only time she displayed any interest in her surroundings was, when she entered his library and saw an enormous bookcase filled with hundreds of titles. It seemed to please her, when he assured her, she can borrow any of them, if she wishes to. The only room left to explore now was her new bedroom. It was a rather small chamber, simply decorated and furnished. Severus kept it as a guestroom, although he couldn´t remember the last time he had a visitor. Once again, the only reaction she produced was indifference. She asked to be left alone and Severus complied willingly. He was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with her. Maybe she suffered from some kind of strange disease, that affected her behaviour. Or was she mentally challenged? Did she not grasp the gravity of the situation they faced now?

Severus settled down in his library with a bottle of wine, intending to finish it by himself this evening, when he felt a familiar tugging in his dark mark. Voldemort was calling him. He had to go. He decided it was necessary to inform his new wife about his whereabouts, so he knocked softly on her bedroom door. There was no answer. With no time to waste, given the situation, he allowed himself to enter, only to encounter a unexpected sight. The girl was sitting on the bed, hugging her legs , chin resting on her knees. A single tear rolled down her face, touching her soft lips and then gracefully, as if in slow motion, slid down her chin and fell towards the ground. Severus closed the door quietly and left.


	4. Late at Night

Chapter 4

She woke up with a start, bathed in sweat. At first, she couldn´t recognize her surroundings. The windowless room she slept in reminded her of the cellar in her uncle´s house. She spent half of her childhood locked in that cellar, a memory she was trying to forget. Was it possible she apparated back to that devilish place during her sleep? She felt panic slowly creeping up on her. Her body tensed and started to shake violently while her stomach performed somersaults. With great effort she willed herself to calm down somewhat, scrutinising the walls around her at the same time. This definitely wasn´t uncle´s cellar. The room was smaller, but looked more inviting and comfortable. The torch on the wall emitted soft yellowish glow, compared to sickeningly green and bright light her uncle´s fluorescent lamp used to emanate. She let the torchlight comfort her a little longer, consciousness coming back to her.

Yes, of course, this was Severus Snape´s home. Her home. THEIR home, she corrected herself mentally. Althought she has spent almost two weeks in this refuge, she still felt like a stranger here. The space desperately needed a touch of warmth. Everything in here was so cold, intimidating, dark. Including the homeowner. He was as inapproachable as ever, their marriage definitely didn´t change his attitude towards her. Not that she expected that. She had to admit to herself, she was even content with the situation. For the first time in her life, she had a chance to do whatever she pleased, nobody controled her, nobody dictated her what she should or shouldn´t do. Of course, her new found freedom had its boundaries. She was advised to stay within Hogwarts walls, preferebly in Snape´s chambers, but she had no desire to venture out anyway. She spent most of her days (and nights) reading, Snape´s library offered a huge selection of books. She was positive some of the titles were on the forbiden books list, but she didn´t give a damn. She was planning to read them too, eventually. And now, when her sleep was disturbed, maybe she should start with it straight away...

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It was nearing 2am, when Severus finally stepped over his treshold, tired and aching. It wasn´t a pleasant night so far. For reasons known only to himself, Voldemort was in a particulary foul mood tonight, shooting cruciatus curses around him, not caring who he hits. Severus could count himself lucky, as he was on a receiving end only a couple of times. Still, his body was refusing to support his weight any longer by the time he reached the relative safety of his chambers. He stopped in the hall weighing his options. He could go straight to bed or have a drink to help him unwind a little. As the latter seemed more alluring, he guided his steps into a library. He regretted his decision immediately, when he spotted his wife, who was curled in one of the chairs near the fireplace. She was so absorbed in the book she was reading, she failed to notice his presence. He felt tempted to turn on the spot and leave, but thought better of it. He won´t be driven out from his own library by a silly little girl, be it his wife or not. He strolled inside stomping his feet loudly.

"Good evening," the girl said, her voice barely more than a whisper, "I am glad you decided to accompany me at this late hour. I couldn´t sleep so I took advantage of your kind offer and borrowed one of your books. Hope you don´t mind." "No," Severus replied coldly, "I told you already I have nothing against it. Maybe I could give you a few recommendations as to your choice of a reading material. If you don´t mind my curiosity, which treatise did you pick today?" Severus was a bit sceptical about the girl´s literary taste. He was pleasantly surprised then when she revealed the title of the book and he recognized it as one of his old time favourites. It was an essay on history and evolution of spells.

The teenager studied his face closely, taking time to judge the expression plastered there. "You seem to be startled by my selection," she finally uttered, "did you expect me to favour something more frivolous? A romance novel maybe? It would be a more appropriate read for the girl of my age, after all." Snape scolded himself mentally for letting his guard down. Did he really let so many thoughts display on his face? Or was this youngster exceptionally gifted in judging people? When will she finally stop surprising him? He came to conclusion he will have to excercise even more selfcontrol around her. He put on his trademark scowl promptly.

"I was merely deciding if I should be impressed or appalled by your preference. That book is considered by some to be a textbook of dark magic." "That explains why I found it in your library," the girl proclaimed, "you are, after all, considered by some to be one of the most accomplished dark wizards of our time." Despite his previous decision, Severus´s face fell showing his shock clearly. No student of his ever spoke to him in such a daring manner. Did she not realize who she was talking to? He should put her in detention for the rest of her studies! He should let her fail her potion class! It was in his power to make her life hell in this school! At this point Severus stopped his thoughts, suddenly aware of his own silliness. This girl wasn´t just his student. She was his wife too. She was a 17-year-old married to an old grumpy potions master. Her life was hell already!

He transmuted his face into a sneer. "You seem to be well informed," he remarked, letting himself relax again. "Were you always this interested in dark arts or is it an outcome of our cohabitation?" "Know your enemy," she replied mysteriously."If I ever find myself facing You-know-who, it would be foolish of me to fight this battle unprepared. I suppose it will boost my chances if I familiarise myself with the weapons my opponent uses." "So it is information you seek," Severus enquired, "I guess I could teach you a thing or two about dark magic and a noble art of dueling." "That would be very kind of you, sir," the girl responded enthusiastically. "I assure you you will not find a keener listener than I am. I will be grateful for any facts, any information you can share with me. I thirst for knowledge..."

At this precise moment something clicked inside Severus´s mind. A forgotten memory surfaced. A memory of this girl sitting in the great hall at lunchtime, studying a thick book, plate in front of her left untouched. "You´re a Ravenclaw," Snape stated, his dark eyes boring into his wife. She nodded once. Severus felt immensely relieved he finally remembered something about her. At the same time though, dissapointment washed over him. She was a member of a different house! Of course, the chances of her being a Slytherin were practically non-existent right from the start, but Severus had to admit to himself, he had been hoping, against all odds, she was, in fact, his housefellow, just a well disguised one. Now that desire was left unfulfilled, he felt cheated.

On the other hand, it could have been much worse. She could have turned out to be a Gryffindor. At least her kinship with Ravenclaw house granted there was some amount of brain in her skull.

Snape glanced at the girl again. She was still sitting in his chair, hands in her lap, eyes steadfast on the floor. She appeared as calm as ever, but he could sense her uneasiness. Was she worried he wouldn´t teach her because of their house differences? He let the silence stretch a little longer before he released her from uncertainty. "I think we can start our lessons tomorrow."


	5. Failure

Chapter 5

She whizzed through the air and landed on her back. Just like the countless times before. She inhaled deeply, registering the pain, that was spreading from her chest fast. She remained motionless, trying to locate the source of the pain, so she could figure out, which one of her inner organs was injured. "Need I to remind you we are in the middle of battle practice, or do you want me to fetch a pilow for you, so you can spend the rest of the afternoon on this floor relaxing?" a cold voice asked from somewhere above her. She tried to shift into a sitting position, but failed miserably, sinking back to the cold stone. "Are you hurt?" the voice spoke again, this time concern woven into it. "I think my ribs are wounded," Iris groaned. "I had them broken a few times before and this feels exactly like it felt back then." She fell silent as breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. She closed her eyes, gathering all remaining strenght. Cold fingers touched her arm soothingly. "Let me call for madam Pomfrey. I´ll be back in a minute, try to stay conscious." Then she heard footsteps and the sound of heavy oak door being pushed open. Few seconds later Snape´s voice echoed in the adjacent corridor. He was clearly summoning someone, then giving orders. Her husband´s voice sounded intimidating, but even from this distance she could recognize he was worried. She smiled a weak smile and steadied her gaze on the ceiling, waiting for the healer to come.

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This was going nowhere, Severus thought angrily while pacing in front of the hospital wing. He was ousted here by madam Pomfrey, who wanted to examine her patient closely. He obliged happily, not really keen on seeing that blasted girl´s face (or any other part of her body) any longer. She was hopeless. If she ever faced Voldemort or some skilled Death Eater, she would be killed instantly. He cursed under his breath. She wasn´t such a bad spell caster. Her spells were well performed and powerfull. The trouble was, she used them at the wrong time. She defended herself when it was time to attack and by the time she realized her mistake and charged, she was usually hit by an opponent´s curse. In short, she lacked the instinct. And instinct was something, that could not be learned. It was a gift you were born with. Or - like in her case - without.

One thing was clear: If she was ever going to help them defeat the Dark lord, it wouldn´t be on the battlefield. Dumbledore should be informed about this development soon, Severus decided on the spot. Together they will have to devise a different strategy. That probably meant another sleepless night for him.

Five minutes later the matron opened the door and let Severus in. He expected to find his wife in bed, but to his surprise she was already fully dressed and ready to leave. Madam Pomfrey looked positively alarmed by this. "Professor Snape, you have to help me convince your ... protégée to stay in here for tonight. She sustained a serious injury! Not only her ribs were broken, but she bruised her lungs, liver, spleen and one of the ribs missed her heart by mere inches. The potion I gave her mended the wounds somewhat, but it´s necessary she stays under my close supervision!"

Severus raised his hands in defensive gesture, addressing the matron with a frown. "You overrate my authority, Poppy. I am in no position to force this girl to do anything she doesn´t wish to do." "Yes you are!" Pomfrey huffed, looking ready to explode. "You are her professor. And her ... her ... husband!" Severus registered with amusement the lapses in the healer´s speech whenever she touched the subject of his relationship with the girl. The matron was one of the few people, who knew about their secret, and just like most of the others, she opposed the idea vehemently. Severus really couldn´t blame them.

"Madam Pomfrey, please, let me go," the girl pleaded in a hushed voice. "I feel much better now. I promise I will rest tonight. You are leaving me in safe hands. My husband will make sure I follow your orders. He will look after me." The healer puffed at this, letting the other two know, what she thought about Severus´s care-taking abilities. "He better would as he was the one who caused you all your distress in the first place," she gestured angrily to the teenager´s chest, which was still heavily bandaged. With the last waspish look at Snape matron turned her back on them and strode out of infirmary.

"Thank you for taking me out of that place," the girl said to Severus once they were in the corridor. "I hate hospitals, I always feel so helpless there." Severus didn´t answer. He refused to preoccupy himself with such a meaningless chatter. There were more important tasks calling for his attention. "Where are we going?" the girl asked as soon as she realized he wasn´t leading her back to the dungeons. "Headmaster´s office," he snapped at her. "I need to consult our strategy with him, as it is clear to me we can´t use you as a frontline warrior as we previously intended. Maybe he will finally exempt me from the duty of babysitting you." Severus half-expected her to start crying at his intentionally cruel remarks, but she didn´t move a single muscle in her face. She just hung her head a little lower and stayed focused on the floor until they arrived at the headmaster´s office

Dumbledore seemed to notice a slight tension between his two guests, but did not comment on it. Instead he prompted Severus to speak out his mind. He did not have to ask twice. "I came here to inform you," Snape started, "I refuse to waste my time by giving this girl duelling lessons any longer. She," he accentuated the word heavily and pointed his long finger at his spouse, "is a pitiful fighter." Dumbledore calmly observed Snape´s face, then turned to Iris. "What do you think, missis Snape?" he inquired. "I must agree with professor," the questioned girl admitted. "It seems I have no talent for battling. I always get myself hurt before I manage to even think about a spell I should use. I´m afraid the battlefield is not the place where my strenght lies." "Then we shall try a different approach," Dumbledore smiled at her encouragingly. "Your husband teaches potions and he is a true master of this virtue. I believe we could try this magical discipline next. If we succeed, not only will we achieve our goal, but our proceedings will stay under wraps."

Severus opened his mouth to protest, but before he had a chance to speak, they overheard the footsteps outside Dumbledore´s office. Then the door banged open and Dolores Umbridge entered, eyeing them all with suspicion. "Professor Dumbledore," she cried in her most unpleasant voice, "I have an information I need to share with you. The action needs to be taken immediately to ensure the order in this school." "How nice of you to stop by, Dolores," headmaster declared without showing a slightest bit of annoyance towards the intruder, "please do come in. Severus, I believe our congregation is over. I expect you to continue with the set plan. Nice day to both of you," he waved his hand dismissively. Severus stomped out of headmaster´s office fuming, forgetting the girl completely. She trailed behind him in a safe distance.

Once they reached their dungeon home, Severus headed straight to the library. He needed a drink. He didn´t expect his wife to join him and was therefore disgruntled, when she spoke behind his back. "Don´t be angry with professor Dumbledore. He had no choice but to send us out when that atrocious woman burst in. She means nothing but trouble. I bet she just discovered the students are rallying against her, forming a secret society." Severus´s head snapped up, his eyes boring into his companion. "What?" he exclaimed. "What secret society? How do you know about it? Why are you telling me? What makes you think I won´t go to professor Umbridge and betray this secret?" "Please, professor," the girl shook her head, "you might be cruel, unfair, unpleasant, proud and unfriendly, but you are not a traitor." "And you know that, because you´ve lived with me for a few weeks..." Severus asked, not really sure, if he should feel offended or honoured. "I can see it in your eyes," was the simple answer he received. Severus observed the girl for a few moments. He was getting used to her insanly honest remarks by now. He wished he could be so direct with his students and colleagues from time to time. But his status did not permit such liberties.

His wife was starring back at him with interest. Severus concentrated on her unusually light eyes. The last time he saw them in their full beauty was at their wedding, he remembered. He suddenly thought how enchanting they were. The changed the girl´s vissage completely, they gave her an aura of mystery.

Snape mentally slapped himself. Now was not the time to admire anybody´s eyes. Now was the time to listen, to gather all the information he possibly could and contemplate it. He gestured to his wife´s favourite chair by the fireplace. "Sit down and tell me everything you know."

Half an hour later his curiosity was satisfied. He should have known Potter was behind all the trouble once again. What was he thinking, running an illegal fight club? If they were discovered, he would be expelled and would become an easy pray for Dark lord! Severus eyed his wife sternly. "I hope you´re not thinking about joining that bunch of reckless no-brainers!" The girl smiled bleakly, shaking her head. "I think I have proven enough I´m not good at this sort of thing. Besides I have a much better teacher guiding me." It took Severus some time to realize she meant him. "Do not try to flatter me," he remarked, but something in his chest tightened neverthless. "Sorry, sir," the girl reacted, "I guess I am too tired to think straight. If you will excuse me I will retire to my chamber." Snape watched her cross the room and leave. When she closed the door quietly behind her he emptied his glass of wine in one gulp.


	6. Getting Comfortable

Chapter 6

Merlin knows why she fancied his library so much. Every day when Snape came back to his quarters he found her there, curled in front of the fireplace with a book in her hand. Did she not have any

social life? A girl of her age should be out chasing boys or discussing latest fashion with her lady friends. She should be dyeing her hair a different colour every week and giggle above

Teen-witch magazine every morning with the other gits. Instead she was stuck in his study like she intended to become a permanent exhibit there.

A first couple of weeks it had annoyed and irritated him. He could not concentrate on his work while she inhibited the same space with him, those pallid eyes of hers flashing at him every few

minutes. Then one evening she asked him a question. A pretty banal one at that. Something about unusuall potion ingredients and their use. He should have recommended her some volume to read, but

she seemed genuinly interested in the topic and so his pride took the better of him and he explained the matter minutely. Since that day there was no stopping her. She asked so many questions he

wondered if she was storing them all her life, waiting for someone to satisfy her curiosity. Her enquiries ranged from simple topics every first-year should know, in which case he scolded her and

gave her an essay to write, to more specific problems, some of which were well beyond the N.E.W.T. level. On a few occassions even he, Severus "smart ass" Snape, did not know the answer and had to

refer to literature, but mostly he did well on his own and was able to retain his status quo. Partly it was due to the fact, his wife directed her interest to the potions and dark arts, two topics

closest to his heart, so not only had he no trouble engaging in the conversation, but he caught himself actually enjoying it more than once.

Nowadays Severus felt content in her presence even when they were both silent, dealing with their respective tasks. While he marked papers, she engaged in studying or writing her homeworks. When

there was a need for him to prepare an elixir for the next day lessons, she helped him willingly. He had to admit she had a talent for potion making and he could easily envision her pursuing a

career in this discipline. She definitely was gifted, but his own mastery remained unmatched.

Unfortunately, the same formula applied to all subjects she tried her hand on. All teachers refered to her as proficient, but not extraordinary. Dumbledore´s attempts to discover her hidden

qualities were becoming more and more desperate each passing week, and although he never let the mask of calmness slip from his face, Severus was sure the girl, with her knack for judging other

people´s emotions, knew how dissapointed and frustrated the headmaster felt. Sometimes Severus was tempted to discuss this matter with her, offer an advice or even comfort, but his pride and fear

of intimity kept him from acting on his feelings. Thus he remained a neutral figure, observant witness of the struggle between the ambition and reality. And in this ridiculous hunt for a miracle

Severus found himself wishing he would not loose his most appreciative student as easily as he acquired her.

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It wasn´t a particulary succesfull period of her life, Iris had to admit to herself. The Christmas was quickly approaching and although it has never been a pleasant and peaceful part of year for

her, she dreaded it even more than usuall this time. Now she was off-age nobody could force her to go back to her uncle´s house anymore, but she was not sure she was welcome to stay at Hogwarts

either. Her escapades in charms, transfiguration, herbology and potions in the last few months did not turn her into a superheroin Dumbledore wanted her to be and Iris sensed he was displeased and

upset by this. Nobody blamed her for anything, not even her husband, but she knew there were not many options left for them to try. For the first time in her life she felt like a complete failure.

Maybe somebody should write to her dear old uncle letting him know the goal he was trying to achieve for the last decade was finaly accomplished.

The only place she felt at ease these days was her library (formerly known as Snape´s library). She fell in love with that place, crackling of the fire, the smell of old books, cosy armchair. She

felt like she belonged there, like it was a home. And surprisingly the harmony she experienced in this niche was no longer disturbed by Snape´s presence. He still kept to himself most of the time,

but when they actually talked to each other, he no longer tried to ridicule her at every opportunity. Their conversations were led in an atmposphere of equality. The first time Snape respected her

opinion, she nearly choked on her bookmark in surprise. Since that memorable day more than four weeks passed and Iris realized she was looking forward to each evening with the feeling of pleasant

anticipation. There was so much Snape had to offer. When she overlooked his grumpiness and malice and loathing towards his students, there was no denying he was highly intelligent, knowledgable,

hard-working and determined. He was also the bravest person she has ever met. She mused on the fact, why he hated Gryffindor house so much, when he himself impersonated the quality Gryffindors

valued above anything else. And of course he could pass as a member of her own house at any time. He was an invaluable source of information and she made sure she exploited this advantage of their

nuptials to the fullest. Whatever she asked he was willing to explain, never showing the impatience he was notorious for. Iris understood his civility and kindness was not to be extended behind

these walls. He was still her teacher after all and if he started to treat her differently, it would certainly arise a suspicion and unwanted attention.

They were living in dark and dangerous times. With the Dark lord´s everpresent threat and ministry interference in Hogwarts, one had to be carefull with his trust. Iris knew the whole school

doubted Snape´s loyalty and from overheard conversations she deduced even the Order members were approaching her husband with deep-rooted mistrust. Contradicting this general atmosphere, her heart

was telling her she could trust him. And because Iris´s insticts have been flawlessly accurate since the day she was born, she allowed herself a courtesy to become the second person in the whole

wide world, who trusted Severus Snape unconditionally.

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It was THAT part of the year again, Severus sighed inwardly while blasting apart another pair of students, who were kissing under a mistletoe, that just ´accidentaly´ happened to hang from the

ceiling in the dark and deserted dungeons corridor. Every year it seemed to come sooner and last longer. Christmas. That festival of foolishness and ill-founded hope. It was claimed to be the time

of peace and quiet, but in Severus´s experience, no other part of year was further from that description. For an average teenage boy, Christmas was just an excuse to drink large amounts of alcohol

and, as a consequence, have sex with a girl he did not even fancy. Severus hated most of his hormones-ridden students, but still he did not wish them to live throug the same kind of dissapointment

and anguish he endured at Christmas almost 20 years ago.

It was his final year at Hogwarts. And while the other students were enjoying the pre-christmas atmosphere, relaxing and debating quiditch, he worked extra hard day and night. His professors

believed he was spending five hours a day in the library, because he was trying to prepare for his N.E.W.T.s exam. Those close to him knew the real reason had been somewhat different. Althought

Severus considered his education very important, there was something even more substantial occupying his mind. And that was a semi-secret society of wizards, everyone learned to know under the

name of ´Death Eaters´. Of course, there was no need for him to know every dark magic spell, that was described in books stored in the restrcited section of Hogwart´s library. The Dark Lord was

not particulary choosy when it came to new recruits. But Severus´s ambition had always been greater than the ambitions of most of those dunderheads. He wanted to rise the ranks quickly ultimately

becoming one of the Voldemort´s closest and most trusted followers. Such a position would grant him power and freedom to pursue his own goals. Goals, that seemed otherwise unachievable. Like

getting Lilly back.

Severus in his youthful naivete believed, Lilly would be so impressed by his accomplishment, she would finaly realize her place is by his side. The foolishness of his own expectations became

apparent the night of the Christmas party. Severus was on his way there, when he overheard a noice coming from a supposedly empty classroom. Snape couldn´t contain his excitement. Now, there was a

chance of catching some supid sixth or seventh-years snogging, landing them in detention and at the same time getting a sneak-peak of what he was sure he would be doing with Lilly in a few months

time! He crept up to the door and opened them noicelessly. The sight he encountered rooted him to the spot. There she was, his sweet Lilly, engaging in what could only be described as a

mind-blowing sex. Unable to move, Severus watched Lilly´s full breasts sway forwards and back, copying the rhytm of her whole body, that was rocking fiercely against a male torso. Severus was so

focused on Lilly, he did not register who her lover was, but as she neared her climax, she let the name slip gently from her lips. "James," she whispered and although the sound was hardly audible,

in Severus´s mind it echoed so loudly he was almost deafened by it. In that moment he realized his love deceived him with his arch enemy.

Severus´s blood boiled in his veins. He let the door shut with a bang and ran to the party. He swore to himself he would get his revenge that night. And he surely did. That night he commited one

of the most stupid mistakes of his entire life. Of course, through the veil of emotions, that were raging within his heart, his plan to bed a random girl seemed brilliant and perfectly logical. To

his surprise, the realization of this scheme was astoundingly easy.

It took him about fifteen minutes to get drunk. It took even shorter to find a willing mating partner. She was a Slytherin, notorious for her sexual apetite. If she was surprised the control-freak

Severus Snape approached her with a straightforward sexual proposal, she did not let it show. Before Severus realized his endeavour was succesfull, they were in his dormitory. The girl shoved him

on his bed and she undressed completely. She was really pretty, but unfortunately Severus did not get a chance to admire her body minutely. She kneeled between his legs, unzipped his trousers,

took his semi-rigid member out and started to give that part of his anatomy her full attention. Despite his occluded mind, Severus did not fail to notice the girl was the true master of oral

stimulation. While she was sucking the tip of his penis, she fondled his balls and soon she had Severus ready for action. Wasting no time she impaled herself on him and started to rock fast. All

these new sensations were too much for Severus. It took about a minute for him to lose control completely. He grabbed the girl´s hips, thrust hard few more times and then ejaculated.

He was still riding his high when a female hand slapped his face hard. "Did you come inside?" an enraged voice accompanied the offending hand. "What?" Severus mumbled, trying to concentrate on his

lover. "Did you come while your dick was still inside of me?" the girl raised her voice to an uncomfortable level. She didn´t wait for his answer. "Of course you did, you stupid son of a bitch,"

she jumped out of bed and began pacing in front of it. "What were you thinking?" Severus finaly grasped the meaning of her words. "Given your attitude towards sex, I presumed you took the

necessary precautions," he answered truthfully, hoping his matter-of-factly approach will calm the girl down a bit. Unfortunately, it provoked a completely opposite reaction. "How dare you call me

a whore!" she screeched and threw a first thing she could reach at him. Luckily, it was just a pillow. Severus did not wait for her to try some heavier ammunition. He was out of bed in a blink of

an eye, gathered his belongings and headed for the door fast. He stopped with his hand on a door knob and turned to face the young woman. "I did not mean to offend you by my words and I´m sorry

you interprete them that way. If you require my assistence in..." he never finished his speech as at this moment he was hit by a well aimed stupefy spell and he retreated from the scene hastily.

The next day he supplied the girl with a morning-after potion and a handfull of contraceptive potions and swore to himself he would not let another woman see him this vulnerable ever again.

Thankfully for Snape, the Dark Lord shared his scepticism towards womenfolk and sex, and although sexual orgies were a common occurance in death Eater´s headquarters, Severus was never forced to

participate in these activities. He concentrated on his work and, apart from an occasional masturbation, did not give in to his male instincts.

It was not so hard to live a life of a hermit, Severus thought while he was handing a detention note to a snogging couple. Young generation should practice some self control, it certainly carried

a lot of benefits. If nothing else, you did not have to spend your evenings with teachers of Umbridge´s calibre. Suddenly, he felt an enormous relief his wife was not one of those randy teens, who

spent their nights sneaking into boys´dormitories. Her constant presence in his library indicated there was no permanent boyfriend in her life and if she had had any short term relationships in

the past, she had been very discreet about them.

While thinking about his spouse´s love life, Snape guided his steps back to his quarters. He had to admit to himself, however grudgingly, he was lookig forward to talking to her again. It was ten

minutes to curfew when he entered his library. To his tremendous surprise, she was not there. A quick homenum revelio spell told him she was not in her room either. Severus tried not to feel

dissapointed. She was a young, reasonably attractive woman, after all, and he could not expect her to spend all her time with an old bat like him. He could only hope no one will catch her sneaking

home from the late randezvous.

When the library clock stroke eleven and there was still no sign of his wife, Severus decided it was time to take some action. He left his chambers and started a systematic search of dungeon

corridors. There was nobody there. Same situation applied to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff part of school. It was one o´clock at night when he reached the stairs leading to the astronomy tower. His resolve to tackle the situation sigle-handedly was diminishing. He was almost sure something happened to the girl. He knew he should report to the headmaster immediately, but could not force himself to do it. Instead he started to climb the stairs, not fully aware of what he was doing until he could feel the wind blowing in his face.

A sudden movement caught his attention. Somebody was sitting on a cold stone floor of the tower. When he came closer and recognized his wife, he felt such an immense relief, that she was safe, it

surprised him. Few secconds later, however, the anger started to dominate his feelings. "What the hell do you think you are doing here," he said in his most intimidating voice, striding closer to

her, "do you know what time it is?!" She turned her head slightly in his direction, but without looking at his face moved it back in its original position. "Professor Snape, please don´t be angry

with me," she addresed him quietly. Something in her voice caused, that his anger evaporated instantly. He could feel the fear sneaking back into his heart. "Are you hurt?" he enquired circling

her body, searching for any sign of blood. Then he crouched in front of her, scrutinising her face. She did not look like she was in pain. "No," she confirmed his observation, a small smile

playing on her lips. "Did you...," Severus had to force himself to finish the sentence, "...did you have a fight with your boyfriend?" "I have never had a boyfriend," she said firmly, looking in

his eyes for the first time that evening. "Ok, your lover," Severus could not help himself asking. "I have never had a lover," she stated, her gaze fixed on his dark orbs. Suddenly Snape felt a

wave of warmth runnig through his body, as if somebody performed some sort of warming spell on him. This sensation only lasted for a few moments, but was strong enough to linger on his mind for

the next few days. He outstretched his hand and touched her shoulder. Only then did he realize she was shivering. "You are cold," he uttered. "Obviously," she retorted, smile returning to her

lips. "Take my coat," he offered and started to undo the buttons, when her hand gently stopped his movement. "It is not necessary, keep it," she whispered. "I still don´t understand why you are

here," Snape pried again. "It´s so peaceful here, don´t you think?" Iris breathed out, starring intently at the horizon. Severus did not reply. He tried to see the beauty she was so obviously

taken aback with, but the only thing he could concentrate on were her eyes. They reflected the bright stars and dark shades of the night sky so perfectly, it made him remember the old picture

books his mother used to read to him when he was a child. The aquarells in those books had the same dreamy quality as the reflection in his wife´s eyes. Suddenly, he felt the urge to kiss those

eyes. And the nose beneath them. And the soft pink lips beneath that nose. Her mouth was open, he could see her every breath and he wished he could cover her mouth with his and catch that warm

substance, that was coming from her lips and evaporated in the freezing winter air.

He snapped back to reality when she turned her head to look at him. "Professor," she muttered and for a moment Snape was dissapointed she did not call him by his given name, "can I stay here for

Christmas? I don´t want to go back home." Her eyes were pleading. "This is your home now," Severus assured her, the bittersweet feeling capturing his heart again. He was so absorbed by this

unexpected emotion he failed to notice the soft "Thank you", that left her lips. He helped her to her feet, unbuttoned his warm cloak and covered her with it. Then he hugged her shoulders with one

hand and escorted her to the safety and warmth of their quarters.

A/N Reviews appreciated


	7. Snake attacks

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.

CHAPTER 7

In the impenetrable darkness of Snape's bedroom, the phoenix shaped patronus, that was floating there a few inches above the ground, looked inappropriate and ominous. It was gazing at Severus intently, as he got out of bed and tried to wiggle into his underpants using the touch as his only sense. He cursed darkly when he tripped over his own shoes and sent the pile of homework parchments, that were laying on his bedside table, flying all over the place. A quickly muttered spell rectified the situation promptly. A second later the torches on the walls lit up and illuminated the potion master's pale face. The patronus flapped its wings impatiently as if trying to express his displeasure with further delay. "Yes, I'm coming," Severus hissed in the bird's direction, "but I need to locate a few pieces of my clothing first. If Dumbledore wishes to see me without a proper attire, he should have chosen a veela rather than a plucked bird as his messanger."

Untouched by Snape's insult, the phoenix fluffed its feathers and vanished. Surpressing a sigh Severus fastened the last buttons of his cloak and marched out of his quarters. He quickly passed the scarcely illuminated dungeon corridors and ascended the stairs. As the area was deserted at this time of night he had time to contemplate on the reason of this late night (or rather early morning) randezvous with the headmaster of Hogwarts. With a little uneasiness he recalled the astronomy tower incident, that happened two nights ago. Had anybody seen him there and reported his unapropriate behaviour? And if yes, how was he going to explain to Dumbledore that he almost kissed the girl he was supposed to protect?

The memory of that night still haunted him mercilessly. What drove him to feel so protective towards the girl? And even worse, why did the need to kiss her emerge from within his soul with such a force he very nearly gave in? He felt ashamed of himself. Frustrated. And angry. Confused. And scared. He could not remember being so scared since learning Voldemort marked Potters as his primary targets. Then he was scared for Lilly. This time it was different. Now he was scared of himself. What kind of thirty-five year old man felt the urge to kiss a teenager? Was he not only cold-hearted but also perverted? Was it a sign of early senility? What was the next step on this dark path? Molesting the first-year students? Luring them into his murky room at the pretense of giving them sweets?

With that happy thought he knocked at the headmaster's door and waited for an invitation that came seconds later. "Thank you for coming at this late hour, Severus," tensely looking Dumbledore addresed him as he stepped over the treshold. "I hope I didn't disturb your sleep. Please, take a seat. I have some rather alarming news." Snape eased himself in the nearest chair and folded his arms. The atmosphere in the room was tense, there was a slight murmur coming from the portraits on the wall, but nothing indicated he was about to be fired, sent to Azkaban or castrated. Dumbledore's next words confirmed this presumption.

"There was an incident at the department of mysteries tonight. Arthur Weasley was gravely injured while performing his duties for the Order. We believe he was attacked by a giant snake." "Nagini?" Snape interrupted, surprise etched in his face, "I was not aware Voldemort planned to attack the ministry in the near future! Are you sure it was a snake?" Dumbledore nodded his head several times before he responded. "Although I do not believe Voldemort intended to murder Arthur Weasley tonight, I'm certain it is his pet that is responsible for Arthur's condition. It's probably safe to assume he sent the snake to get the clearer picture of the situation at the ministry, maybe he was trying to find a flaw in our defences. He gave him orders not to interfere. The incident with Arthur was an unfortunate coincidence, it was not meant to happen." "This must be the first time", Severus spoke slowly still contemplating all the information, "anybody is accusing Dark lord of trying to prevent violence." "Indeed", Dumbledore lightly chuckled, but the smile vanished as soon as it appeared. "What I wonder, however", Snape continued, "is how you got all this information so fast? If Weasley had a night watch he was suposed to be alone until at least 7 o'clock in the morning." He looked questioningly at the older man. Dumbledore rubbed his nose and cleared his throat. "That, dear Severus, is exactly the reason why I summoned you here at this hour. As you know from the prophecy when Voldemort attacked Harry he 'marked him as his equal'. In other words he established some kind of connection between himself and the boy. It seems similar connection exists between Voldemort and his snake. When Harry was sleeping tonight he somehow entered the snake's mind and saw the attack happen. Thanks to him rising alarm immediately the chance of Arthur's survival exists. On the other hand our fast reaction may draw Voldemort's attention to this bond between himself and Harry. If he didn't know already. No doubt he will try to use it to his advantage." "That's rather unfortunate," Snape acknowledged, "it means Potter can give Dark lord access to many of our secrets, in fact, he can lead him directly to us. It seems, Albus, your trust in the boys' abilities was undeserved after all." Severus could not help but feel a pang of satisfaction at this moment. He was after all the one who always pointed out Potter's flaws outweighed any talents he might possess. "Do not get ahead of yourself, Severus," Dumbledore commented his eyes suddenly turning icy. "Too often you blame me for embracing the boy with undeserved emotion yet you seem to mirror this very mistake. You cannot hold Harry responsible for his father's sins forever. Why, I ask you, do you so stubbornly refuse to appreciate the qualities he inherited from his late mother?" Severus clenched his fists and for a few moments refused to meet headmaster's eyes. "I promised I would protect Potter," he spat out finaly, "but do not ask me to like him, Albus." The silence in the room stretched for a few more minutes before Dumbledore finally spoke. "No, Severus, I promise I will never ask you to adopt Harry and treat him like your own son," mischief slowly crept back into headmaster's voice. "But I will require your assistance in severing this connection between him and Voldemort. You need to teach him how to close his mind. For the reasons I believe you understand I cannot do this myself and you are the only suitable candidate left. I tend to say this often lately, don't I?" Despite Dumbledore's light tone Snape sensed urgency, maybe even a slight fear, behind his words. He left the old man in uncertainty a bit longer before he raised his head and spoke. "I will need to borrow your pensieve."

A/N: I'm really sorry it took me so long to update. Being a single mother with two jobs leaves me somehow drained... I promise I will try harder.

As always, reviews are appreciated. Feel free to pinpoint any mistakes you find in the text. English is not my first language after all.


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